A sampling of recent cases,
as of November 2006

There were thirty-four requests for assistance during the year. This total does not include any of those receiving assistance for the Holiday Drive. Of these thirty-four requests, eleven of these applications were granted assistance; 17 applications were not approved because no verification evidence, either a "Needs Statement" or Financial Statement, was forwarded to the Fund; three are current and waiting verification; and three were refused.

• Case #185: A single woman underwent two brain operations for aneurysms. This condition has left her unable to drive or to work. It has also affected both her motor skills and certain mental capacities. She has applied for SSD and is awaiting an answer. Her medical expenses have been covered by Medicaid and she is currently undergoing therapy three times a week. She also has a case worker assigned to her situation. Transportation to and from therapy sessions is provided by Medicaid. Assistance by the Fund has been approved for her in dealing with her day-to-date situations. The Fund, working with a local fuel provider, has authorized repair of her hot water heater, certain plumbing repairs for leaks in the system, an occasional food allowance, and heating assistance while she was waiting for approval from HEAP. The Fund will continue to monitor the situation.

• Case #188: A family of four visiting family in Malone had their automobile break down. It was towed into a service center where the indication was the auto would need a new engine. The family was able to borrow money from the family to return home. The family includes one disabled child and limited income. The family went into its savings and borrowed money from a number of sources but was able only to pay for 75 per cent of the repairs. The garage would not release the car until the balance was paid in full.
  The Fund was contacted and asked for any type of assistance. The family was advised the Fund no longer does car repairs, but agreed to pay the balance in order for the car to be recovered if the family agreed to repay the Fund over a period of time. The time that the money had to be repaid was not expressed nor was the amount of the monthly payment. This transpired in July and since then the Fund has received a payment for August, September and October which accounts for 15 per cent of the bill to this point (November 2006). The husband works locally, and the wife is attempting to go back to work, but even at the optimum of conditions the family is below the income poverty line for a family of four.

• Case 193: A family of four lost their home and business due to fire. The Fund provided a food allowance for two weeks for the family as well as fuel money for their auto for two weeks. No further assistance was requested or provided after the two week period.

What Kind of Assistance Is Available?

This is a question often asked of the Fund. The answer is "almost anything." But generally the assistance may be a food allotment at a supermarket, or heating assistance when HEAP has been exhausted, or gas for a car that is taking someone to medical appointments. But it may also be a clothing allotment, or the help with a specific type of bill, or in the case of a family facing a crisis and having lost everything it might be a combination of items.
But in all cases, the assistance is given through a business, and at no time does the person, or family, receive it directly.

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